27 minute read
Any last questions/remarks?
from February 2020
by Lazy Faire
THOUGHT VS THOUGHT THOUGHT VS THOUGHT
“Do what you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” A tale as old as time that was passed onto millenials and Gen Zs.
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Much like other advice that previous generations offered about careers, money, and economics...this advice also aged fairly poorly. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be able to profit off of your passion. If you have a knack for knitting cute sweaters, or building custom laptops, by all means, make an extra buck or two. In fact, saying that we should keep all passions as a hobby is very poor advice. If you have already become a veterinarian because you love taking care of pets, please don’t go spiralling trying to backtrack your decision. Love books? Go apply for that Library Sciences degree. Paint? Yes, continue finishing that project you were working on.
However, when the struggle for monetization takes over your love for something...you quickly realize that running behind passion exclusively will not suffice. Certain careers are considered unsustainable - an unfortunate reality many face. The economic system does not allow some fields to thrive as well as others, leaving some in the dust and the lucky few to rise to the very top. For the former, sometimes it starts becoming a low-paying or unstable job that becomes more draining and stressful than fulfilling. And isn’t that what passions are about - self-fulfillment?
The truth is, work will always be work, but you can still love your work. You can love the outcome, the creative process, or the satisfaction you see in your client. Nevertheless, work will have its difficult times and be a struggle to get through,
WRITTEN BY: Denise Nguyen DESIGNED BY: Ivy Zhou especially if it’s the only means of income. Passions become a burnt-out method of making ends meet.
The “side gig” hustle, which is common amongst younger adults these days, is a fine line. As volatile as it may be, some have found great financial success in freelancing, part-time jobs, or even second full-time jobs. But it remains a side gig for a reason - whether it be through lack of demand for services or simply just not having enough time. Simply put, it’s not quite sustainable by itself. That’s why most people can have multiple sides, or one paired with another, more steady job. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.
It’s also important to dissect why some people have chosen their hustle. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to become brainwashed into thinking that there is an assigned monetary value to our productivity. However, here’s your reminder: not everything has to be sold to someone or reward you financially for it to be gratifying.
N A Y n a y
Should we turn our passions into a job?
Y A Y y a y
You’ve heard it all before – motivational posters with phrases like “follow your passion,” or speakers telling you to “turn your passion into your profession.” The naysayers to this line of approach will tell you that it simply isn’t feasible in the “real world”, as dreams simply don’t pay bills. And yet, many of these naysayers likely confuse hobbies with passions. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of a hobby is “a pursuit outside of one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation.” Passion, on the other hand, has its roots in the Latin word, patior, meaning “to suffer.” Thus, it changes the ageold advice of pursuing your passions from “do something you enjoy” to “do something you would enjoy suffering to keep doing.”
In modern day applications of the word, a passion is an intense desire that’s possibly irrational but simply irresistible. It’s something you can’t stop yourself from coming back to, something that constantly occupies your thoughts. A passion is something that consumes you because you can’t imagine yourself doing anything else. It doesn’t mean that you’ll always be motivated to work on it 24/7. Rather, every minute you neglect it, either the guilt will eat away at you or it’ll feel like an itch that demands to be scratched. For example, a hobbyist artist might pick up their pencil or brush for a couple of hours on a day off from work and share the occasional piece they create with their family and friends, or even on social media. A passionate artist will work and rework their pieces, never feeling like any of them are quite “done.” They will push through the bad days, when the inspiration well feels like it has run dry, and are willing to pay any price – dealing with picky clients, expensive equipment, and the like – all for the sake of their craft. WRITTEN BY: Valerie Leow DESIGNED BY: Ivy Zhou
While having a day-job that you don’t completely despise and coming home to your passions initially seems doable, the fact of the matter is that you’ll always be one step behind everyone else in your field that is genuinely passionate about it. Think about it: if a passion consumes one’s thoughts, if one spends countless waking hours going over how to better one’s craft, then that sustained interest, if pursued, is bound to translate into expertise and ingenuity in said field. Compare that to, say, someone who is just going through the motions of their job, and it is clear that the latter will always be at a disadvantage when it comes to skill development and career excellence. In this way, passion can directly translate to success in one’s career. Whatever it is that you’re passionate about, a quick Google search is bound to show you countless others who share that same passion, and are currently already making money doing it. If you’re truly passionate about something, then take the leap, and the money will follow. If your passion is already something you’re willing to suffer for, what else do you have to lose?
DANIAL SHEIKH
WRITTEN BY: Rachita Chugh
DESIGNED BY: Jazlynn Chan
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Rachita Chugh
D A N I A L S H E I K H . D A N I A L S H E I K H . D A D A N I A L S H E I K H . D A N I A L S H E I K H . D A
1. Tell me a little bit about yourself. What major are you pursuing, and which year of school are you in?
I came to Canada in 2012 (in grade 9); I completed high school in Calgary and started my university education at the UofA. I started off as a Microbiology major but quickly learned that doing research for the rest of my life was not an option for me. I found it incredibly boring, and the things I learned in my classes was not directly applicable to real life. After a lot of honest soul-searching and research, I switched to Business school with a major in Finance and minor in Business Analytics. All the knowledge I have acquired in school is closely linked to what is asked of me on the job. I am in my fourth year.
2. This month’s focus is “finding your purpose.” What does that mean to you?
D A N I A L D A N I A L Finding your purpose does not come easily; most people never find their purpose. I think that I was lucky enough to find mine in the switch from Microbiology to Business. To me, finding your purpose does not necessarily translate to doing what you are talented at, but rather finding something you are interested in and can hone over time. Many people attempt new things and give up once they reach a hurdle; however, to find your real purpose and passion one has to work hard at it over time. I had a really rough start to school, and first year really was not great for me. I had no purpose, but two things helped me – my persistence and my desire to venture outside of my comfort zone. I surround myself with people that support me and push me to better myself. I attribute a lot of my achievements (including securing Co-op terms at RBC) to a friend I made during orientation week. He pushed me to branch out, participate in case competitions, and even apply to Co-op. This is why I really like business; there is a culture of excellence within the faculty, and it encourages you to try new things.
3. You are currently on your final Co-op term (with your second and third terms being at RBC); tell us a bit about that journey.
I did my first Co-op at the City of Edmonton as a Financial Analyst. My second Co-op was at RBC under Strategy and Transformation, and I am currently working at RBC Capital Markets.
Follow up: How did you end up here, in Toronto?
I never imagined that I would end up here. I applied to numerous different jobs and focused on extracurriculars and building a solid skillset. I did an interview for RBC in summer 2019 and ended up landing the position! I am one of two students from UofA at RBC (Toronto) currently. It has been an incredibly humbling opportunity; I continually make an effort to excel at my role and absorb all the knowledge I can. Even as recently as a year ago, I thought working at RBC Capital Markets was nearly impossible. I have worked diligently to achieve this feat, and I try to never get discouraged.
4. How has the Co-op experience been for you? How have you balanced alternating between school and work?
My experience has been nothing short of phenomenal. When in school, I tend to get bored fairly quickly. Similarly, work can also get boring after several consecutive months. So, alternating between work and school has worked out really for me; it has kept me “fresh.” It has been interesting to see how “classroom” content fits into a workplace context.
5. What’s on-the-go for you currently? Both work, school, and extracurricular wise?
I just started my second term at RBC this month, so I am learning the ropes in my new role. I have already proposed a new project for my team which involves building a centralized portal to auto
mate many of their fixed income trading books. Extracurricular wise, I am learning Python and am also enrolled in several courses on machine learning.
6. What was a defining moment in your university career that led you to where you are?
Applying to business school was a defining moment for me, and it required a great deal of introspection on my part. Growing up, I only considered the Sciences to be a viable career path, but the more I considered business…the more it aligned with my interests.
7. What is the difference between Danial from first year and Danial today?
In first year, I had absolutely no direction and no care for academics or extracurricular activities. It sounds strange, but my only goal in first year was to have no goal. I was so clueless and lost. I was raised in a fairly strict household, hence resorted to rebellion in my early years of university. My grades slipped, and I realized I was not passionate about or interested in the Sciences. That being said, it shaped who I am and brought me to where I am today. I am determined and focused on setting goals for myself. The Danial today is a much more positive person.
8. Any last questions/remarks?
To people who relate to my journey and who felt they were or are nothing…just know that you can change anything if you work hard enough. There is no goal you cannot achieve. Do not compare yourself to where others are today – compare yourself to where you were yesterday.
External Relations
WRITTEN BY: Timiro Mohamed DESIGNED BY: Karman Kaur
I had the opportunity to sit down with former editor-inchief of Lazy Faire, my good friend Fatima Mohamed, a recent UofA Marketing Grad who works with the Alberta Women Entrepreneurs. We had an honest conversation about navigating the business world as a Black Muslim woman and overcoming imposter syndrome.
Tell me a little bit about yourself, what major did you pursue? Why did you choose it?
I majored in marketing and minored in SMO and I graduated in June 2019. I was one of those people that hopped from major to major every other semester. My parents initially allowed me to do business because I promised I’d either pursue accounting or finance, majors they saw as offering security. When I eventually picked marketing, I did well at it and I ultimately gravitated towards creativity. I’ve always loved using that side of my brain and teaching myself how to pick up new skills by tapping into my creativity. It is something that allows me to destress and is really my passion.
How was the transition from school to work-life?
I was done school about 6 months before my actual graduation, so there was a lot of uncertainty. I am a heavy believer in taking time for yourself and putting your mental health and well-being before anything else in this world. When I finished my classes, I was lucky enough to secure a contract position with the UofA for multiple months. Afterward, I decided to take a month to visit family in Toronto and take time for myself. When I returned for graduation, the dread set in. There are so many talented, hard-working people and it just takes time for us to find the perfect fit. My life at that time was just going to job interviews and chatting with recruiters. Finally, I found a job working for a non-profit that I absolutely love. The people there respect the work I do and bring out a side of me that I love. The thing with non-profits is that they’re small, but everyone is very involved. Often we are forced to do things out of necessity and I think if I’d had to wait another month or two to find a job, I may have been in another situation. But thankfully, this job came at the right time.
It was a huge challenge, especially in the business faculty which is very skewed racially. When I [would see] another black person, especially other Black Muslim women, walking on campus in the business building I felt a sense of joy. Finding someone who looked like me, being able to connect, take classes together and support each other was so important. As cliche as it may seem a lot of the time, as a black person, you are a token and that’s not what I aim to be. But you can be the representation that you’ve been yearning for, for someone else. Be it your hijab or your skin, being yourself when you go to that conference or you join that club, just doing the normal things that you believe will help your personal development, can push the envelope. succeed. But as one of the only [minorities] in the room, you question yourself although you know you have the skills and you got this position by merit. I remember specifically right after finishing all my classes and getting a job at the UofA. I had just come up the elevator and I was about to go on the pedway. For the first time, I had a sort of panic attack, my heart was racing and I couldn’t leave the elevator. I thought I was just going to drop down and die. I was thinking, this is my first legitimate job outside of student position. It was my first full-time adult job and it felt like a reality check position. I was panicking thinking they’d find out I’m a fraud, and that they made a huge mistake. All the while I knew I was super qualified for the role. But you have to talk yourself out of it as you go day by day. How I navigated that was by taking everything one step at a time, and always reminding myself I am qualified and that I’m someone who’s done good work time and time again, so why not this time?
Often, I was the only black person in the room and it got to me at times, but it didn’t stop me. I knew I came here to do something, so I said to myself, “I’m going to do my job and excel at it.” When I work towards my goals, I know I’m doing it for myself but also because I’m bringing another voice to spaces I join. There is a power in that, in realizing you can just be yourself and you can be changing the things around you. The more people that speak up and join things the more inclusive and diverse it becomes. People have to invite groups of people who don’t usually feel represented because it can be scary to apply for things if they are all white. So it is definitely on the university and its clubs to make open spaces. Also, you as a minority should feel comfortable to push aside doubt and imposter syndrome, and go for the things you are passionate about.
How have you been able to find purpose in spite of Imposter Syndrome and stop it from getting in the way?
Let me just say that imposter syndrome is real. What I’ve noticed is a lot of times the people who are the most qualified have imposter syndrome, [including] a lot of women and POC who actually have the resume and the skills to back up their work, whereas people who are underqualified go for things maybe due to a certain mindset. If you always see a given group succeeding, you may feel represented and as if you are more likely to How does it feel to work for a company committed to supporting women in entrepreneurship as a black woman?
I absolutely love my job. I’ve always loved non-profits and a lot of the work I did in University: either part-time or volunteer positions have been for non-profits. I feel having a purpose and doing something fulfilling is very important to me. I tried my best to look for those types of roles when I was job hunting. So when I got that role everything felt natural to me. My mom is an entrepreneur and has been for the past 10 years. Seeing her hustle, grind and be so passionate inspires me. Knowing this organization’s sole purpose was to help people like my mom thrive was amazing to me. Sometimes, past jobs felt routine. I didn’t regret anything but every day felt like a job where I was just clocking in and clocking out. But this is one of the few positions where every morning I am genuinely excited to come to work. Even in my role, I feel like I am contributing to the mission of the company. As a black woman, what I’m so grateful for in this organization is diversity. Although I am the only black woman, we’re an all-female team with people from all walks of life. When I came in for the third interview I honestly felt at ease. Just walking in and seeing diversity being celebrated, I felt like I needed to be there. The types of environments where diversity and empowerment are celebrated are the types of environments I want to be in.
Clubs Corner: EMP Fest
WRITTEN BY: Steven Prysunka
DESIGNED BY: Leire Domènech
EMP Fest is a truly unique event. Headed by an interdisciplinary team, the event brings together speakers and students from a broad variety of faculties to give guidance over all things employment. Over the course of the event, an incredibly comprehensive range of topics are discussed. The festival leverages the best the University and Edmonton community has to offer. The lineup this year included workshops on building a network, setting yourself apart in Resumes & Linked in hosted by Microsoft, legal rights as an employee by the Edmonton Community Legal Centre, and breaking into tech without a tech background by Start-up Edmonton. Aside from the informational sessions, EMP Fest brings interactivity and fun with events like career confessions where the panel recounts some of the most interesting turns their careers took away from the more obvious paths their degrees offered. The fun open panel style format is always a favorite and leads to good stories and great takeaways for students. In addition, the panel on breaking into tech without a tech degree was a particular favourite among most of the attendees.
I had the chance to talk to EMP Fest’s current president, Marvin Neoh. Marvin got involved in EMP Fest in his 2nd year in the business faculty. He loves helping other students and EMP Fest provides a fantastic opportunity to give back to this student community. He got involved when one of his friends in first year recommended that he would be perfect for it. The previous president of EMP Fest, Katelynn Nguyen, is one of Marvin’s biggest inspirations and became a mentor to him. Katelynn, was a president of one club, VP of another, an engineer and owns her own business.
EMP Fest was originally a part of the Students’ Union and the career centre but after being dropped from their events roster, student Mike Sandare saw potential. Marvin notes that the big change was the way these teams saw EMP Fest in the long term; something to build and grow on.
One of EMP Fest’s biggest strengths is the way it achieves an interdisciplinary approach, something many clubs attempt but have a tough time accomplishing. Marvin notes that EMP Fest has had this interdisciplinary focus since early on and has succeeded by making it a part of the team’s identity. If you go to EMP Fest’s website, you can see how many of the speakers and team members come from all faculties and backgrounds. The fantastic lineup of speakers is enabled by this team and the legacy of the fantastic teams they’ve had in the past. The speakers like the Engineering Department Employment Service’s brilliant Stacey Sayler, whose advice and expertise is restricted to the engineering faculty, sets EMP Fest apart.
EMP Fest has a message that students should hear more often: your degree doesn’t define who you are or where you’ll be, your career is what you make of it. There are so many ways that you can leverage the skills you develop into a direction you’re passionate about. Incredible people and stories come out of the U of A, like the engineer that Stacey Sayler discussed, who through advice and connections through networking was able to land a job at Apple right after graduation and was one the team designing the Apple Watch.
Of all the events, Career Confessions was the standout of the festival and a perfect way to finish off the 3-day event. Every speaker had an incredible story of how their degree and work experience took them on a wildly different path to where they are now.
Take for example, Gisele General, who had to become her own person from a very young age. Gisele took over her family business while still in school in the Philippines after her parents passed. Shortly after, she migrated to Canada and repeated high school. Shortly after that, she graduated from the Business School at the U of A and immediately fell in love with the non-profit business world. As she puts it, she now gets to “boss around lawyers” as she works as the volunteer and communications coordinator at the Edmonton Community Legal Centre.
Another example is Andrea De Ocampo, who left the U of A with a Bachelor and Master’s in Science. She found herself working for Robert Half and running her own real estate and fashion businesses. Our business school’s own Robb Sombach was set on being an archeologist as a kid after watching Indiana Jones, fell in love with computers in his teenage years, and went back and forth several times between his passions before finding his love of teaching. There were even more speakers, all with incredible stories and were happy to speak to anyone who came up to them. I left motivated and inspired, with a few business cards and many great insights from the speakers who all took the time to speak with me.
The club has the multi-faculty sensibility in its roots and mission statement. This diversity and amazing team legacy made it possible to have such incredible guests. It’s not just this year’s team, but the fruits of the labour of all of EMP Fest’s alum that make the event possible. They’re a small but incredible team that put on a fantastic event. They plan on making the event even better in future years and they hope that in the future they can do it more than once a year or include smaller events throughout the year.
I would like to thank the whole team: MarvinNeoh, Thien Nguyen, Xiaoyu Jin, Tobi Obatusin, Angela Li, Grace Vuong, Yasmine Abdel Razek, Nairish Momin, Hemali Boorada, and Shawn Nelson Sydia for putting together the incredible event.
They want anyone reading this to know that they would be happy to get others involved in the club, if you think you can bring something to the table, tell them! You can contact the club on Facebook @EMPFest.
L A Z Y FA I R E
REVIEW
WRITTEN BY: Denise Nguyen DESIGNED BY: Katia Wlasichuk
This month’s theme is about finding purpose. Sometimes, that means going way back to when you first made that life choice. What were you feeling then? Why did you choose the path you did? What intentions did you have for the future?
We asked, and you answered: what made you join the business faculty? Students of ASOB weigh in on why they chose to study business.
“I chose business because I knew I wanted to get into marketing. I like marketing because it’s kind of the more creative side of business, which is a very practical faculty that still does a lot for our world.”
“I’m chasing the money.”
“I joined business largely because of the opportunity to be part of the business community. Also, the faculty has a ton of opportunities to meet different professionals and find out what your passion is.”
“I wanted to better understand the world. Seeing the world through the lens of economics is fascinating. I also wanted to have the practical skills and knowledge to one day be prepared to be my own boss; I think a business degree is the best way to do that.”
“I wanted to go into business because I loved talking to people. Unfortunately, they don’t like talking to me, so I majored in accounting.”
“I saw business as the perfect mix of academics and social.” “Long story short, I [wanted to feel] like what I was learning in school was actually applicable to my everyday life. Not a single day has passed where I needed to know how to insert a bioluminescence gene into the DNA of E.coli, but with business, I’ve learned how to develop professionally and meet great people both within the business faculty and beyond.”
“It was a strong suggestion from my parents. They thought I would have a huge chance of finding a job with a business degree in general. I didn’t get into Engineering, or Sciences, so I chose the Business path.”
“Honestly, I did not know what I wanted to do. I think it was because it was a practical major, there were safe jobs, and I could make a high salary. Also, because I wanted to improve my soft skills such as public speaking. Business is so useful and important in everything I would do.”
“Because I wanted to apply business skills and economics in solving social and environmental issues!”
Marketing Professor Sharon Bell
WRITTEN BY: Sam Hughes
DESIGNED BY: Katia Wlasichuk
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGE THAT COMES WITH HAVING A BUSINESS DEGREE MAJORING IN MARKETING?
I think that there are absolute advantages, but I also think that in any discipline, what you learn doesn’t come strictly from the classroom. You can also learn a great deal from what you do outside the classroom. What you do get from being here is that you are exposed to principles, best practices, and to people with different points of view and different approaches, all of which help make you better as a marketer. The rest comes from experience.
ON THE FLIPSIDE, DO YOU THINK THAT THERE IS ANY OBVIOUS DISADVANTAGE AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO OVERCOME THAT?
One of the things I do find is that many students graduate with the attitude that they are ready to take on the world, which is fabulous, but they feel like they already know everything. You could have gotten an A+ in my class, but the first day you arrive to work with my team, I can guarantee that you don’t know everything. We hire you because we believe that what you have learned is valuable, but you don’t have it all. This is where experience comes in, and this is where you can really maximize your learning. We try to deal with this by offering case studies, practical problems, and the like to our students. I think it’s a downside to students in all disciplines, when even I don’t know everything after all of my experience, and that will always be true. It’s important to remember that there will always be people who know more than you even when you’ve attained some success yourself.
ONE OF THE COMMON STIGMAS AROUND MARKETING DEGREES IS THAT THEY HAVE POORER JOB PROSPECTS COMPARED TO OTHER MAJORS. DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS THE CASE, AND IF NOT WHY NOT?
I really believe that there are good job prospects for people interested in marketing. I see it around me all of the time. I have colleagues who regularly will send me a note saying they need someone for a position, so I see it anecdotally within my network. When I talk to students who want a job in marketing but don’t really know what that looks like, I ask them, have you considered a job in the agency stream, research, or businesses who usually have at least a couple of people on their marketing team? Typically the answer is no. You have even more opportunities available if you’re willing to be mobile and leave the capital area. There are always companies that are currently building who are looking for marketing people. They need people who can stand in the customer’s shoes and figure out the customer’s perspective. So absolutely, there are jobs out there, and it’s just a matter of going after them.
LASTLY, DO YOU HAVE ANY GENERAL ADVICE TO OFFER TO CURRENT ASOB STUDENTS THAT YOU THINK WILL HELP THEM IN THEIR DEGREES OR FURTHER CAREERS?
My advice to people is to take in as many experiences as you can while you’re at the ASOB. Apply yourself to your studies. That’s a given, as you’re investing a lot of time and money into your studies, so get the most that you can out of your courses. But there are so many opportunities to get involved with . You can participate in case competitions, or join a club, or attend a seminar. Just squeeze out every opportunity you can while you’re here because there’s so much here to take advantage of while you’re at the ASOB.
Hiring New Grads!
